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Jyugo wasn’t sure how to describe it. When he reached his hand out, sometimes it felt like something was pulling on him… Or was someone reaching out towards him? He couldn’t tell. For the longest time, he didn’t know how to feel about this tugging sensation just beneath his skin. Just nagging at his brain. Like someone whispering to him just out of range to hear properly. Was someone calling to him?
Then that night, on the rooftop overlooking the water, Jyugo met him . And as terrifying and scary as the experience was, deep down, he knew that there was a connection between him and this “person” called Elf. He didn’t know how to handle it, the idea that this person that had been lingering so close was so utterly demented, dangerous and capable of hurting him. And wherever he went, like a shadow, he would follow.
When he found out that Elf was a part of him, lived within him, it was just the confirmation of his fear. Even if he already knew the truth, he still had hoped, wished, prayed that it wasn’t true. Then, part of him just accepted it. So long as this monster was only a part of him, a dark reflection, it was fine. He could live with that. He would learn to cope with things and repress Elf even as he tried to break out and come to the surface.
The endless sessions of them talking back and forth within his own mind was just that. Something that occurred in his head. In his own subconscious and within his control. No matter how much Elf tried to manipulate or trick him, Jyugo was still the one who called the shots. And now he had the strength himself and from his friends to combat his malicious intentions.
At some point though, that control, that confidence, started to crack. And Elf could sense it just as much as Jyugo could. Something about his approach changed, something about the way he spoke to Jyugo, the way he attempted to appeal to him. Jyugo wanted to know more about himself, about the blank pieces in his memory, and Elf seemed all too willing to inform him.
The connection between them deepened. Jyugo wouldn’t say he trusted him and he certainly didn’t like him, but he had knowledge and answers to his burning questions. Despite all their interactions, the other had never flat out lied to him. He would just avoid answering a question if he didn’t want to. Elf’s poking and prodding questions were starting to get under his skin though. Things he had never thought about before and didn’t make sense were starting to add up.
Seemingly, things came to a head when he fought Zakuro. The confrontation brought something he hadn’t prepared for to the surface. The topic of his friends and their history. The rug being pulled out from under him led to Elf seizing control entirely, right from under Jyugo’s nose while he helplessly watched from within himself. It didn’t seem possible, and it didn’t seem right, but he was a prisoner inside his own body. Watching himself from within as Elf savaged Zakuro using his body like a puppet.
“Do you see now, Jyugo? How perfectly we work together?” Elf had asked him at some point, but Jyugo just ignored him, recovering in the medical ward and hardly paying attention to anything. His friends came to see him, but it was a hollow experience and expression. Zakuro’s words were eating at him, and when he tried to get clarity from Uno, he only got lies. A lie that he had caught onto. And he smiled, playing it off despite not being sure how to deal with it. His shackles cracked further, the red lines showing his unraveling mental state.
“You want to know what they're hiding, don’t you? Why they don’t just tell you the truth?” Elf had asked as soon as they had left. Jyugo wanted to ignore him, but it was impossible. He turned his head, the world around them falling away as they fell into his subconscious again.
“What do you know?” Jyugo asked, voice hinging with a tone of anger. He was struggling to hold back his emotions, but they leaked out regardless. Elf smirked.
“More than you, certainly. Don’t you want to know? You can ask me anything. I’ll answer whatever you ask.” He taunted as Jyugo considered his offer. It was tempting, but how could he be sure the answers would be real? Couldn’t Elf just manipulate his answers or truths?
“You really expect me to believe you?” The jailbreaker growled, looking away. Then again, it wasn’t like he could believe his friends anymore either…
“That’s fair.” Elf agreed, surprising Jyugo. “But there’s something you can try, if you really want to.” He suggested, moving closer as he tended to. Jyugo was always on edge from his proximity, but he had gotten used to it. He slowly looked back to him, willing to hear him out.
“Like what?” He snapped, hoping this wasn’t another trick or manipulation. Elf just grinned and pointed to his shackles. Jyugo followed his gaze, looking down to his wrists.
“One of your powers. It’s called Kaginoi. You can use it on me.” He explained, green eyes flickering up to Jyugo’s multicolored ones. The dark-haired one narrowed his eyes.
“How? These are weapons. You want me to cut you?” Jyugo tried to clarify, confused by his suggestion. Elf snickered, amused by his lack of knowledge.
“No, not exactly. When you use Kaginoi, it temporarily fuses the body with an object… The information and sensations are transmitted from the target and shared with the body.” The blond explained he placed his hand to his chest. “Which means you’d be able to know if I was lying or telling the truth.” Jyugo tilted his head, thinking about it for a moment before looking down and transforming his hand.
“Even if you explain it, I still have no idea how it works.” Jyugo confessed, lifting his changed arm up as Elf grabbed his hand. He quickly glanced to where their hands were touching.
“It’s your power. Even if you forgot how to use it, you can remember.” He said cryptically, and somehow, it made sense. When Elf pulled his hand away, Jyugo knew exactly what to do, and exactly how to do it.
“How did you…?” He muttered, eyebrows furrowed as Elf just smirked. He spread his arms out, practically offering himself up.
“Find out for yourself, Jyugo. You and I are one in the same, remember?” Jyugo decided not to think too much on his words for the moment, instead reaching his fingers out and feeling strangely nervous before piercing the other boy. Despite his fear, as he opened his eyes to stare forward, he saw the strange red energy oozing from his fingertips, surrounding the entry point to Elf’s body.
“This… Is this…?” He started, still confused as Elf just grinned, slowly lowering his arms back to his sides.
“Indeed. You’re now using Kaginoi. Good job.” He complemented. Jyugo couldn’t help but shake the strange feeling coming over him, something familiar… Elf’s hand came up and rested on his arm. “Can you sense it now?” He questioned, red tinging in his pupils as the same red started to form in Jyugo’s eyes.
“W-What is this?” He questioned, confused by the strange sensation. He looked up at Elf’s face as he grinned.
“I kept telling you that we’re the same, didn’t I? I wasn’t joking.” Jyugo’s attention was pulled away as Elf’s arm started to change, reflecting Jyugo’s own transformed arm. “Unfortunately, Hiiro separated us. It was rather cruel of him… To tear us into two people.” Jyugo raised his eyebrows, his stomach shifted and his cloudy mind started to flood with strange memories… Were they his own, or Elf’s?
“What do you mean?” His own voice sounded strange, almost distant. Elf’s laugh echoed eerily around them.
“We’re one in the same . Two personalities in one body. My presence has always been much stronger, and I’m the original personality that he tried so desperately to get rid of.” Elf explained. “But you were always there, just a small fraction… But, you weren’t the original, so your memories were fragmented… Incomplete. It was convenient for him that way. It made you easy to control, easy to keep you in the dark and prevent you from escaping… From reaching your true potential.” At this point, Jyugo couldn’t tell if his mouth was moving or Elf’s was. Not that it seemed to matter.
Nanbaka is a prison for keeping people like you who have powers weak and restrained. He’s scared of our potential. Of our power. Don’t you see, when we work together, the power we have… Is more than he could ever control .
My friends? Was that a part of it? To control me… To control us ?
Correct. All to make you happy and cozy in your own cage . No need to question problems if there are none, right? That’s why we had to cause trouble around you… You had to start asking questions about this place you call home. How did you get here? Why are you here? Do you even remember?
I… I’m starting to remember now…
Good. Then we can leave soon. Now that we’ve been reunited, nothing can stop us… Doesn’t this feel right, Jyugo? I was the missing piece you needed all along…
Jyugo’s hand curled into a fist, transforming his other arm with a sharp grin. The power had returned, back to its original form. His eyes glinted with a red hue and his ears slightly pointed. The shackles cracked further before dissolving in a red energy.
“You can rest now. You must be tired after learning all of this…” He spoke, his tone sweet but mocking. “I can take care of the hard parts for you.” Jyugo found himself agreeing with him. He was tired, and this was overwhelming.
Okay, but just for a little bit. You better not cause too much trouble for me when I wake back up…
He grinned, chuckling as he transformed his arms back to normal. “Of course. Sleep tight, Jyugo.” Elf looked down at his body, finally returned to him, finally whole again. His grin widened, practically splitting his face in two. How long had he waited for this? To be whole again, to be reunited with his body properly…? He let his head fall back as he laughed.
Then he stopped, grabbing his chest and glaring sharply. Now it was time for revenge… Hiiro would pay for what he had done to him. Splitting him in half had been the worst pain he had ever felt, almost destroying him if it hadn’t been for the supervisor… He paused, hearing sounds from beyond the subconscious, someone was coming. He let his grin fall away for a more mischievous smirk.
Showtime.